Double Dragon
by goldstranger
Summary: Someone's past is about to catch up with them.
1. Default Chapter

**Disclaimer: I do not now nor have I ever own any and all characters from Mutant X. they belong to Tribune Entertainment. (Lucky them). I do however own my characters, and locations that come from my weirdo imagination.**

**A/N: Yeah for some reason while coming up with a penname for a site I was on I got what a friend called Brain Freeze! And this little idea just rolled out of me. So here's to Street Magick and strange pennames. **

**Geez I really got my plate filled here, anyone think I should just stop putting these things up? **

**CHAPTER 1****: **

15-year-old Brianna Gage stood in the corner of her room listening to the adults of the house argue with one another for the millionth time. She twirled her long dark hair on one finger until it had turned purple, releasing her trapped finger she sighed. The yelling had grown increasing loud over the last hour and a half. Her dark brown eyes were hidden by silver shades that she had taken from the neighbors cute as hell son, Vince. 

Gage --as she liked to be called-- shook her head, they were arguing about her again. The adults or George and Annie --for she refused to call her foster parents anything else-- had been arguing constantly these past couple of weeks, and the general words thrown around the halls were almost always about her. 

Gage walked over to her closet and pulled out a pair of jeans and a sleeveless black t-shirt. She had to get out of here and fast. Glancing at herself in the mirror she pulled off the shades, revealing a dark bruise under her left eye. She pulled off the bloodstained undershirt and checked her stomach out. The old ones were fading faster than before, she supposed it was a good thing. 

Yanking off the shorts and replacing them with the jeans she winced, the pain in her side was still there from the beating she had received the night before. "Well I might not feel it, but I guess I could pass for normal." she mumbled pulling back her dark hair into a ponytail that hung down her back. Gage carefully pulled on the black shirt with the blue dragon print on the back, at least he hadn't caused her to bruise her arms. 

George had always been careful about the way he beat her, always sticking to her abdomen and legs, upper back area. It was a good thing she was shy about her own body, otherwise she would have probably missed wearing the form fitting clothing her twin wore. Gage wasn't exactly a beauty queen, nor was she ugly. 

By all means she was anything but. At 15 years old she stood at 5'4 --and still getting taller-- had a curvy figure, which she constantly hid behind loose fitting clothing. These jeans however hugged her lower half; the t-shirt was a bit loose but not enough to hide her breast. She swore under her breath. 

As she hunted for her boots she thought back to the days when she had been with her real parents. It hadn't been much better, but hell it hadn't been worst than this hell whole they had placed her in. At least back than she had her older brother to protect her. Too add insult to injury they had separated Gage from her twin sister. They were identical, if you discounted the bruises that covered Gage's middle.

Once the boots were laced up she grabbed her leather jacket and walked over to the door, taking a deep breath and changed her body density. Gage phased through the door. They were still arguing, she carefully walked out into the hall and crept towards the staircase. Leaning over the railing she could make out clearly what they were saying.

"She's going to turn out us like the other one, a street rat, I tell yah Annie the girl needs to be locked away with the rest of those freaks!" 

That would be the arrogant bastard George. Annie was just yelling at him to stop with the yelling, that the brat would hear him. 

"Let her hear me, fucking street rat herself just like her brother, a dam thief at that. No wonder they threw him out of the dam mouse hole they called a house. Their mother couldn't even control her dam kids."

Gage's eyes glazed over with anger, she knew exactly whom they were talking about, and she hated being referred to as a street rat. It angered her further to have those two morons refer to her older brother as a street rat, she wasn't too sure about the thief part. But to talk about her mother like that… Gage wanted to tear the guy apart for bad mouthing her only mother.

Her fingers sizzled and in the palm of her hand there was a small electrical energy ball. The temptation to throw it at him was great, but an old familiar voice told her not too. Her fingers closed around it, and it dissipated. She stepped backwards and walked silently to the other end of the dark hall to the open window. Gage climbed outside and scaled down the drainpipe. Making her way across the back yard she changed her body density once more and phased right through the gate…

~*~*~*~*~

Brenda Abigail was in a similar situation at her apartment or rather the Johnson's apartment. Gina and Aaron Johnson had taken her in a little over a month before. Abby --as she liked to be called-- was apparently a problem child to them, their idea of dealing with the 15 year old delinquent was to ship her off to every known shrink in the area. And when that didn't work Gina would install in her the only punishment she knew… tying the girl up and leaving her alone in the storage room for days at a time. This was fine with Abby, but every once in a while the rope would bite into her wrist leaving burn marks. She had figured a way out of them a few days before.

Now here she was in the one window basement pacing the floor, dressed in black shorts, and blue tank top with the black dragon print on the backside. Her dark hair had been pulled back into a thick braid that hung down her back. 

The arguments between the adults of the house were not hard to miss, considering Abby's hearing was sensitive. She had just learned how to block out sounds from all over, unfortunately it left her deaf for hours the first time she had tried it. Now though she was getting the hang of it. Abby cleared her head and concentrated on the adults in the room above her. What she heard shocked her.

"Gina we've tried everything to get her under control, if this facility is the only way to do it so be it. Don't tell me you're going soft on the slut."

"I'm not going soft Aaron, I'm just saying that she'd be better off here where we can keep an eye on her."

"Facility?" Gabs dark brown eyes went wide with fright. "No way, no freakin' way!"

She reached up and placed her hand over the tiny window and worked on trying to change its structure. The rectangular window shifted and grew a foot longer. Abby was able to slip through the window and snuck her way out the back of the building, and down the street.

~*~*~*~

**Bakers Field…**

It had taken her more than an hour but she had made it to the wide-open field space at the edge of town. Gage had settled down with her back against the tree, in the cover of the shade from the old oak branches. From here she was able to have the most beautiful view of Bakers Lake. She would often come here when she needed to think the most or just get away from the noise in the house. It was a peaceful place and she loved it here. She only wished that she hadn't left without taking something to eat. 

Something dropped into her lap, looking down she found it was a Mc Donald's bag. It was still warm. Glancing up she saw her mirror image staring down at her. "Thought you could use a fill." Abby said smiling down at her twin.

"Thanks." she replied digging into the bag and pulling out milk shake and fries. "So what brings you out here in the middle of the day?" Gage asked between mouthfuls of fries. Her sister stared at her with much concern and a bit of anger.

"They didn't feed you this week did they?"

Gage had stopped stuffing her face long enough to answer in the same tone. "No." She continued eating but with a slightly slower pace. 

"I've had it with these rejects they keep sticking us with." Abby said through clenched teeth. Anger evident in her every word. "They can not keep doing this same shit. I've been locked in that basement every afternoon this week."

"Why are you complaining, at least they don't beat on you."

"No but that bitch ties me up tighter than ever. These aren't love bites you know." she grumbles raising her wrist where the rope had cut into them. "I'm lucky enough to find my way out before I shed blood." It occurred to Abby that she couldn't read her sisters expression, not with those dam shades covering her eyes. So she crouched down next to her twin and lowered the shades from her face. "Aww Gage…"

"It's not as bad as it looks." she said pushing them back up.

"The hell it isn't." Abby retorted after a few minutes she continued. "Even Jack didn't hit you this hard." At the mention of their step father Gage tensed up. Abby changed the subject, but it wasn't a good change. "Did you know they're planning on sending me to some facility?" 

A thought flashed across her mind as she watched Abby pacing in front of her. "Did they happen to mention the name of this Facility?"

"No…"

"Abby if they send you away…"

Abby stopped pacing and answered roughly. "It's not going to happen."

"What are you going to… you're not running."

"Yeah I am. Gage I can't be locked away in some white room and have people look in on me like some lab rat."

"You're leaving me." Gage had pushed the bag aside and wipes her face on the sleeve of her jacket. She jumped to her feet facing her twin, who had stopped pacing and now they were face to face. 

"No, I would never leave you."

"You're leaving me." Gage's voice was filled with full-blown panic, which hit straight into Abby's heart. She knew where her sister would be taking this, and it pained her to be compared to him. Abby grabbed her by the shoulders ignoring the yelp that came from Gage's mouth. "I wouldn't do that to you, you know better!"

"Do I?."

"I'm not Brennan." Abby retorted.

"I never said you were, what the hell is that suppose to mean anyways?"

"It means I wouldn't just leave and not come back." Abby said letting her sister go.

"Abby, Brennan didn't abandon us…"

"Yes, he did." Abby said with an eerie tone to her voice. It made Gage kind of afraid for her sister. For she had given up on the thought of their older brother ever coming back for them. Although she never really told Abby about it Gage still held hopes for his return. "Where the hell are we supposed to go?" she asked.

"I don't know, but we can't stay here, they'll find us."

"Than we leave right now, and never look back."

"Yeah…"

After a few silent minutes Gage spoke up again. "Can I say good bye to Vince?"

"I knew you had a thing for that boy." Abby's smirked

"He's my friend."

"Hott friend."

"Hot friend." she echoed her sisters response as they walked away from the field.****


	2. someone wasn't careful

EIGHT YEARS LATER… 

            The curvy young woman placed her bag down on the concrete floor of the underground parking lot. Crouching down on the dingy pavement she pulled the hood of her sweater up hiding her face in the shadows. She strained her ears listening for any sound that would alert her to anyone's presence. The only lights on this particular level were that of the cracked orange lamps on various part of the ceiling. When she was satisfied that there was no one else around she grabbed her bag and made her way towards the dark Camero. It was perfect for tonight's pay. She smiled as she placed one hand over the hood of the car where the engine would be, and the other hand directly over the car's lock. First gathering the electrical charges, and then sending it back out. Mentally patting herself as she imagined the currents running through the wiring system until the alarmed clicked. Pulling the car door open with ease she grabbed her bag up from the floor. "This was too easy."

"Someone wasn't careful." A singsong voice rings out.

"Fuck." The young woman took her hands away from the car and back up a few feet. "How do you always do that? Even with my powers I couldn't sense you."

"You know what they say practice makes perfect." The female said as she was coming out from behind the pillar. She was dressed in dark low-rise jeans and a sleeveless shirt underneath a black denim jacket.  "Come on you had to have known that I was at least fallowing you." She smirked crossing her arms on her chest. The young woman turned facing the stranger. "I could have killed you."

"Yeah, if you were fast enough. What do you think you're doing here any how?" she asked leaning against the hood of the open car. "Dumb question." The first woman said moving to enter the car but the other young woman stood in front of her. "Gage what gives?"

"What are you doing Abby." She asked standing her ground in front of the car.

"What are you getting at?"

"You're gonna get us caught." Gage says in anger slamming the car door shut.

"Hone, we need cash and fast. This sweet ride will do it."

"Forget it." Gage retorts placing her hand near the lock as a small telsa coil shot from her finger locking the car up. 

"What'd you do that for? You know your charges are different from mine. This is tonight's meal ticket what's wrong with you?"

"We don't do things this way and you know it." Gage said as the two stood face to face, Age had done nothing to take away from their beauty. Still Identical in features, smooth tanned skin, chocolate brown eyes that could be both warm one minute and cold hard the next. Both standing at five foot seven, the difference between the two aside from their stance was the fact that Gage had a barely visible scar that split her brow, left over from her younger days. "Now lets go."

"Since when did you become the cop here," Abby said still standing her ground.

"I don't have time for this Abigail, lets go now." She grabbed her sister's arm.

"And just what the hell are we suppose to do for food?" Abby angrily retorted. "Our last job was six weeks ago, our cash is dry."

"Not my deal. Now lets go."

"Gage…"

"Abby." She mocked. "Save it and let's go before the owners…"

"Are coming…" Abby groaned getting ready to run.

"You really are a piece of work you know that." But her sister was already across the garage. Gage turned to her hiding place but her foot got caught on a nearby grate and fell forwards palms slapping the pavement really hard. She heard something skid across the floor. "My ring." She mumbled sitting up. Frantically feeling the chain that hung around her neck, the claps had gotten lose again. "No way."

"Gage, come on!" Abby's voice came directly at her even though her own words were echoing against the grate. The footsteps were getting closer but Gage was rolling on the balls of her feet searching for the missing object. "Come on, come on…" peering into the grate she saw the light glint of the light against the Silver band. "Bingo." She grinned placing her hand just over the grate she inhaled deeply as her hand began to dissipate just as suddenly the molecules slammed back together. She bit back a yelp. Gage tried again but wound up with the same results. She was now on the verge of tears, she just had to get the ring back. That's when two feet appeared by her side. "Can I help you?"

Gage mentally cursed herself; she could have come back for the stupid thing later. She quickly hid her hand behind her back and looked up. "My ring… it uh… fell in there… I can't…" her words were lost when she looked up into the blue eyes of the light haired stranger. He looked genuinely concerned for her. "Maybe I can help?" the stranger offered kneeling by her side. He seemed sincere enough to her, and looked to be in his mid twenties and with the expensive looking coat would be loaded. '_Great he offers to help me, and all I can think of is how much money I can get off of him. I am a screw up._' She thought to herself as he smiled at her. 

"It sometimes helps if your calm." He said in a soothing tone, which gave her tight feeling deep inside her stomach. "I don't understand…" she started but he had already taken her hand and placed it over the grate. "Just concentrate on letting your hand become less solid. Don't think about anything else." 

"I don't know what you're talking about." She started to say but he only shook his head causing his blond hair to fall just above his eyes. "It's ok." He replied. Suddenly she felt her hand phase right through the grate. Her fingertips brushed against the band of her ring, she grabbed at it pulling her hand out. The ring laid flat on her hand. A wave of relief passed over her, she smiled at the stranger. "Thank you." She breathed. 

"Not a problem." He said as the two stood up. 

"I gotta replace this old thing." She indicated to the chain that hung around her neck. 

"Yeah wouldn't want to loose something so important again." He said

"Wouldn't want that." 

Why was she still standing there? 

"You need a ride or something?" 

"No, it's ok I'm actually waiting for my sister, the klutz just doesn't have the best timing. She'll turn up." Ok now the girl was rambling.

"Would you like me to wait with you?" he offered.

Oh my god he must be one of those rich guys Max use to talk about. Gage laughed at her best friends sister. Maxine use to talk about the weirdest guys she would meet up on the Boulevard. Usually the rich kind, and really snobby, never really expecting to get knocked over by such an innocent looking girl. To her they were boring and just an easy target. This guy sadly fell under that category, well not really there seemed to be something different about him. "It wouldn't be safe." Was her reply."

"For me or for you?"

There was that smile again, what was it with this guy? Gage was about to reply when something caught her eye, at first she thought that it was her sister fooling around, but then she saw them. The men dressed in freaky neon colored clothes. "Oh, no."

"What is it?" the stranger turned around a grim expression came over his face.

"We'se got a bone to pick with you'se." The apparent leader said to no one in particular. 

"Several in fact. Starting wit yah fibulah, then yah ribs." He sneered revealing a large blade. 


	3. Marco, Tattoo's and Gorilla's

            As the leader of the neon clothing men approached them from the entrance of the above level, Gage had to wonder why her sister hadn't heard them when she first came in. Was Abby losing control of her abilities like she had just seconds before? Had they been waiting for her all this time? 

"Kilmartin this has nothing to do with you, so why don't you just leave us to do our busyness with this street trash." The leader sneered flashing his blade with arrogant pride.

"You know Marco, you're way out of your territory." The blond young man said. "Why don't you go back to the sewers where you crawled out from?" Gage had to wonder if the guy was acting out of fear or just plain stupidity. 

"Well, look at the Blondie boy standing up for himself." The thick man said. With his broad shoulders, long arms, and dark hair Marco reminded Gage of a gorilla she once saw when she was younger, at the Bronx Zoo. Abby had provoked it into trying to smash the glass and the other Gorilla's had come to his aide. This blond stranger was now Abby and Marco was the Gorilla. Marco and his boys were a joke really, that wasn't what she was worried about. But like the Gorilla, Marco was just part of a small group that was run by a giant ape. The ape was the one she didn't feel like getting into a tangle with. 

"I guess we could get two for the price of one, today's special kiddies." Marco and his pack were now just a few feet away from them. She wasn't sure the two of them could take them down.  Marco was the only one who would carry a weapon just for show, the rest were about fist to skin. Doesn't mean they weren't all about being brutal. Marco snapped his fingers. "Get' em." He commanded, four of his men walked forward slamming their fist into their palms. "I'm sure we can do this in a civilized manner," Gage said moving away from the car until her back was against the pillar. Two of the men were in front of her, the other two were already engaged in hand to hand with the blond guy. "I guess being civilized is a bit much." She ducked as the first guy threw a punch at her, his fist connecting with the concrete pillar making a sickening crack. He yelled in pain as she kicked his knees knocking him down. The second guy dove at her but she stepped side ways kicking outward the heel of her boot connecting with his stomach. "I really did want to be civilized." For a moment she panicked and looked around for the man who had helped her out. Afraid that Marco's boys had taken him out while she had been busy handling the two monkeys. Gage sighed with relief as she watched as the blond man easily took out the two men, who up until a minute ago were doing just fine on their own. She smiled as he straightened out his coat. "That was fun." 

"I am not leavin' until I get what I came for." Marco snarled suddenly he was knocked out cold. Every man that was standing behind him looked around confused as hell. There leader had just been taken out, but no one could see how or why it had happened. 

Out of nowhere a blade had been thrown in their direction with ease Gage caught it by the black handle. It had been just mere inches away from the blonds' heart. Although when she looked at him his entire body had changed. Red waves that looked similar to volcanic lava, had made his form solid.  "That wasn't very nice." She said closing the blade into its handle. The blond young man had returned to his normal state.

"Hey it wasn't us man." One of Marco's goons retorted confused as ever. 

Someone grabbed her by the arm pulling her back, that's when gunfire erupted from one side of the parking lot. More people crawled out from the pillars of the under ground lot. Marco's group scattered about liked roaches. The blond young man was holding Gage so that her back was pressed against his chest, using his body to shield her from the bullets. For one insane moment she considered screaming at him for his stupid move, until she took notice of the sound. The bullets were hitting him, and dropping to the floor. When the bullets stopped she looked up, half of Marco's men were on the floor in blood. "Is there a bounty on me?" Gage muttered. "Are you ok?" she turned to the man who had saved her life seconds before. "Yeah, thanks." 

"We should go." He said.

"Yeah,"

"Not so fast." Female voice lingered in the air. Gage looked around for the source of the commanding tone. "You know for once I'd like to leave a place without facing some sort of confrontation." Gage nearly growled as a woman in dark pants and leather coat appeared out of nowhere. She had thick dark hair that fell neatly around her shoulders. Gage relaxed when the blond beside her greeted the woman with what felt like a forced smile. "Lexa, fallowing me again?"

"Actually, yes and no." the woman said. Then looked at Gage with an unreadable expression. "Got a minute?"

The man looked torn between wanting to stay with the young lady and talking to his teammate. He turned to the young lady with a sincere expression. "Stay here?"

She really didn't feel like arguing with him so she gave him a nod of her head, he walked over to the dark haired female and the two talked in low voices. Gage didn't like the way the woman was looking at her every few minutes. She wished that she had been the one to have the control of sound now, instead of her sister. The young mutant walked over to one of the bodies and took notice of something on the back of the man's neck. It looked like a tattoo of some kind. Gage knelt by his side her fingertips gliding over the tattoo it was a silver lightning bolt inside were numbers in bold colors.

***_Flash_***

'Danny what is that?' the small dark haired girl asked as she fingered the tattoo on the older boys arm. 'It's nothing just something I got today.' He answered stiffly walking out of the room.

***Flash back to the present***

On a hunch she went over to the next body and pulled back the collar of his worn jacket, the same tattoo, different numbers. Looking over the next three it was the same. Gage unconsciously shudders rubbing the back of her neck where we just barely see three numbers 865.

"Sorry, Jesse."

"Sorry isn't good enough. We gotta find her Lexa."

Their conversation had gotten loud enough for her to hear them again. They were arguing and there was something in his voice that made her want to go over to him and comfort him. He was hurting about something, someone. 

Right now she had to get home to the others fast before they would begin to worry and send out a search party for her. She straightened up as he walked over to her and stood beside her. "You ok?"

"Yeah, I gotta get home." Gage said. "Thanks, for you know watching my back."

"Wait, you're not seriously thinking about walking home after what just happened are you?"

"Yeah."

"Are you nuts? There could be more of those guys out there. Look, I can give you a ride home. It'll be a lot safer."

"Thanks but, I can hold my own, besides I've been through worse." She said walking away from him. "I'll see yah 'round Jesse."  She smiled to herself thinking, actually hoping that she would see him again. 

~*~*~*~

Come on did you really think she would be going to Sanctuary that fast? Ok should I continue on? Or just drop this altogether? N E questions, comments? 

**Come on now, it's 5 AM; I need something if you guys want the next chapter!**


	4. Four

****

A/N: Here is the next chapter for your addictive habit *grins* thanks to all your lovely words of motivation. Please keep those review coming, I already have the next chapter being written and I finally got the line to this story straight! Thanks to my little evil muse. 

Also if you hadn't check it out yet go see Lord of The Rings: The Return of the King

It is beautiful! And Legolas is hott!!! Ok that was me spazing out, and this is me walking away now totally red in the face. *walks away*

CHAPTER 4:

"Are you sure about this?" Gage asked as she paced back and forth in the large 24 square feet spaced floor. The boards of the empty loft beneath her feet cracking with each foot step. The dark haired woman had arrived no less than an hour before and had spilled the details about the attempted hit on her and the Gang members, conveniently leaving out the part about the guy who had saved her ass. The young man with the equally dark hair and hazel eyes sighed heavily as he looked over the result on the laptop, nodding his head sadly at the young woman. His shoulders sagging slightly as he rest his head in his hands. There was no other explanation for it, and he wished that there had been. Maybe then she wouldn't have to go through this crap all over again. The past was usually better left untouched. 

"How long have these guys been working out there?" she asked still pacing the length of five feet before pivoting again for the 20th time. Gage held a semi calm stature for someone who had been almost taken out by a trigger happy freak. "I'm not sure, but they're the real deal. Right down to the tattoos they brand. Gage… you know what this means right?" he asked as he faced the new mutant.

"Vince, I'm not even sure of what I saw." Gage replied still pacing.

"Lightning bolt with bold numbers." He replied automatically as he typed in a command the picture enhanced on the screen. "It's a sign for something… Hey." he reached out grabbing her wrist stopping her mid pace. 

"This ain't right." she said with clenched teeth.

"I know but…" he replied softly pulling her close to him. "You can't run from this, you know that. Right?"

"This is such bull." she said slowly pulling away from him and began pacing again. "Marco's boys were taken out but some punk I didn't even see. Half of them had that marking, it doesn't make sense, why would… Marco hates people like me… and why would he even have them on his side and not even know it?" 

"Maybe they were hiding out or something? Like you and Abby."

Vince's words stilled her as her dark gaze fell on him, he hated that look on her. The one that if it could, he would be dead on the spot for even bringing the subject up. The two stood in silence for what seemed like forever. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean it like it came out…"

"You know the shit we went through…" she began but was cut off by Vince.

"I said I was sorry alright." he retorted a bit angered, more at himself for saying something so stupid. He had known Gage since the day Social Services had dumped her next door to these nasty people. They had never really talked much, but that was probably because her foster parents were real pain in the asses, just cause Gage had been different from other teenagers. 

At fifteen Gage and her twin Abby had decided to run away from their abusive foster homes, two years later Vince and his sister Max had found them and helped them escape the grip of a bad crowd that they had fallen into only to keep on running from them. How Gage and Abby had gotten roped into that crowd he never did ask, it had never been his place to. 

"We have to find out what they want and why." he said turning back to the laptop. His next words made him slouch in his chair a bit. "Listen uh… We're gonna need some cash and fast." 

Gage stopped her pacing and looked back at the young man with narrowed eyes. Picked up the nearest object which happened to be a CD case and with perfect aim flung it at him the corner of the case hitting the base of his neck dead on. Vince jumped in his seat the thing had hit him pretty hard. "You ass." she practically hissed. "Why the hell didn't you tell me

"I didn't know exactly,"

"Do you have any idea the damage that was done tonight?"

"We're kinda dry you know how else are we suppose to survive." Gage didn't need to turn around to know who it was that had just walked into the room. "I am not speaking with you at the moment."

"Gage… I didn't know about Marco and his boys I…"

"You little quick scam tonight was reckless Abs, this isn't a joke. You can't just go and knock off the first loaded car to the local chop shop."

"What the hell are we suppose to do." Abby demanded crossing her arms on her chest, she was pretty sure that by now had she not been interrupted they would have had at more than 2g's in their pockets and some food in their stomach. Sometimes she wondered how the heck her sister took the moral high ground when money was concerned. Gage use to be the one who fallowed her lead in things, that had changed a few years back, a bad choice in friends had changed everything for them.

"We gotta find a race with deep pockets." Gage said walking over to the second laptop.

"You're not serious, come on we have a better chance of knocking off some poor sap down town then winning one of those." Abby protested. "Gage, you said it yourself we have to stay low."

"You're the one who said we need fast cash, this is the only way," 

"Wit what money chica?" A five foot six Hispanic looking young lady asked as she walked into the room. She was tying up her hair holding a band between her teeth, her olive toned skin made her naturally brown hair seem darker than it was. She was dressed in a pair of cargo pants and a black sleeveless turtle neck. "We aint got much."

Gage bit her lip thinking for a minute, a serious edge to herself, came upon her lips. "There's an underground race in a few nights, we get our cash there."

"Entrance fee?" the Hispanic lady asked again.

"You gotta be one of us." She said as her dark brown eyes literally sparked up with tiny electrical charges. 

~*~*~*~


	5. Old memories, contacts, and Annie Fox

****

A/N: Disclaimer can be found in the beginning of the first chapter.

Ok here is a longer than expected chapter but I had to get some sort of explanation in there without killing the story. And as you all know when you are hit with inspiration your fingers on the keyboard just don't stop. I asked for my muse to come back and what did he do? He hit me hard with a huge idea! 

I would really appreciate your words on this chapter, if anything seems out of place. Questions are always welcomed as are comments, anything! Please don't forget to review. Cause we all know that we love reviews. No go on and read your hearts out!

~*~*~*~

CHAPTER 5:

Gage had sat up on the edge of the roof legs dangling down the side, all through the night till the break of dawn trying to figure out what had gone down in that garage. If Vince was right than Adrian was back for all of those who had escape his tight grip. Which meant that her and Abby would be in more danger now than they had been before. 

The twins had done a great deal to escape this powerful man who when the twins had first escape from their terror homes had somehow roped them into thinking that he would be their protector from the abusive world that they were running from. At 15 Gage and Abby weren't exactly stupid so they hadn't believed his proposition at first, until someone had tried to drag them away from Adrian's group. (She now wished that she had gone with that blond woman and her friend.) Still Gage and Abby were a bit skeptic but he had protected them time and time again. And their loyalty was gained, and after their first '_job_' had gone with out a hitched they had been branded into the group. Reaching behind her neck her fingers skimmed at the numbers **865 **once more causing an involuntary shudder. The bold numbers were how they earned their rank. The second rank would be a branded symbol of their abilities. For the twins it had would have been the lightening bolt, for electrics, but they had found more horrors about Adrian's real agenda than anyone including his first and second in command really knew about. 

The twins would carry those tattooed scars for life. They had tried a numerous amount of surgeries to get rid of them, but somehow it always came back. Laser techniques hurt like hell and would last for about 6 to 9 months. But it had been the only way to hide the very thing that was their identification to who they had once been. 

****

~*~*~*~

SANCTUARY…

Shalimar Fox walked into the computer littered area with a calm deposition, dressed in black leather pants and a blue spaghetti strap tank and black boots. Her wild blond mane loose around her shoulders. "Anything on those underground races yet Jess?" she asked the blond man who was sitting at the computer terminal, A few nights before Shalimar's cousin a seventeen year old Feline Feral named Annie had left to meet a few friends at the theaters, when she failed to return to Sanctuary at curfew, Brennan had made a few phone calls, what they found out was a bit shocking if not expected. Annie had obviously lied to Shalimar, from what her friends had said Annie had been going to a quiet a few new mutant underground night races. 

Annie had actually been at it since she was ten years old. But stopped when she came to live with the Mutant X team at 14, when she turned sixteen she had begun lying to Adam and Shalimar about her meeting friends, and instead going to night races. She had just begun joining in the actual rides a few months after the deaths of their beloved family members Adam Kane and Emma De Lauro. Shalimar could kick herself for not noticing it before, but they had all been pretty busy planning Adam and Emma's funeral, and making phone calls, grieving, getting use to their new member Lexa Pierce… and it didn't help that there last few missions kept them away from home more than a few days. Leaving Annie free to do what she pleased. She sighed, she should have been more careful with Annie, should have picked up on the signs, after all it wasn't as if she hadn't done the same thing at that age… 

Shalimar smiled remembering how she use to drag Jesse to those races, she had been Annie's age and Jesse had been a mere 14 years old. He hated the loud cycles and Audi's and constantly worried about her getting into an accident. 27 months in Adam had caught the two after she had won her final race, and both got a sound lecture on the pros and cons of racing, of course her beloved metallic blue and silver Kawasaki Ninja had got taken away from her, and poor Jesse had been band from the computers for a solid week. 

Looking at said Molecular she found he had his back turned it looked as if he were deep into said search, but as the feral drew closer her warm brown eyes narrowed. He was way too still to be doing anything but thinking, and she was sure that he wasn't thinking about anything in particular, it was more like he was zoned out. "Jess?" when he didn't answer right away she leaned over him placing her arms around his shoulders so that they crossed his chest. This gesture made him jump slightly seeing as how he hadn't picked up on her presence. "Shal… it'd be nice if you'da given me a warning." he said after a few seconds. 

"I did." She said with a small some what knowing smile. "You ok?" 

"Yeah, fine." he replied smoothly but Shalimar didn't buy it but she would let it slide for now. "Whatcha got on those underground races?"

"Nothing short of what we use to get into or rather **you** use to get us into." he said pointedly. 

"Hey now as I recall you loved going with me,"

"Shal the only reason you dragged me along was so I couldn't tell Adam. Which really didn't help my case seeing as how we got caught anyway."

"I'm hurt Jess, really." which caused a natural comfortable laugh between the two. "Now what have you got?" 

"Nothing really except…"

"Except?" She prodded the Molecular.

"Apparently Annie isn't the only one to disappear from these underground races." he brought up a second window on the computer, there were quite a few reports of missing people. Locations were always different but the way they disappeared were the same, reports of loud engines, large crowds, and then when the police were called there would be a scatter of cars. A day or so later someone would call in to report two or three people missing. Shalimar read them over in a matter of minutes picking up on the small details. "They were all mutant's." she said softly. 

"Yeah I checked out the mutant data base and quite a few of them matched up, all in their late teens and early twenties. Interesting fact they all had this strange mark on the back of their necks."

"Numbered tattoos?"

"Yeah, but here's the strange part some of them along with the numbers had a symbol in the shape of either of the fallowing… lightning bolt, flames, feral eyes, water…"

"Mutancy's?" 

"Bingo." Jesse replied.

"How could anyone not notice this kind of pattern?" She said eying the pictures of the missing mutants.

"Because they've been covered up probably by the same people who pulled the trigger on Jesse's new girlfriend." Lexa's voice rang out as she walked into the room fallowed by a very exhausted looking Brennan. "New girlfriend?" Shalimar said in a teasing tone which automatically changed to a serious one when she caught the exchange between Lexa and Jesse, it wasn't exactly friendly. "What's going on?"

"You didn't tell her?" Lexa said with a raised brow, she was somewhat convinced that those two always told each other everything. "Tell me what?" obviously getting irritated the feral turned on Jesse with a look that said more than her words ever could. "I was coming back from visiting Laura…" Jesse said somewhat reluctantly. 

"Emma's sister." Brennan said confirming where Jesse had been going these past few days. No wonder he hadn't told anyone. Jesse gave a slight nod as he continued. "And got ambushed by Marco's guys…"

"And you didn't tell us because?" Shalimar's anger was now evident in the way she gripped his shoulder. "It was nothing." Jesse tried to assure them but obviously was failing. "Except it was something because they hadn't come for Jesse they were looking for the girl he was talking up to." Lexa finished with a small smirk on her face. If looks could kill Lexa would have been dead on the spot, this earned him an even more curious expression from the other two. 

"She just happened to be in the parking garage, and was having trouble controlling her powers and I was just helping…." he began.

"Looked to me like you were doing a little more than that." Lexa said with what sounded like a jealous tone. "What the hell is that suppose to mean? And what were you doing fallowing me in the first place?" Although his voice was relatively calm the meaning behind it wasn't.

"Ok guys just chill alright?" Brennan said getting between the two the last thing they needed was another fight to break out. It wasn't in Jesse to fight but something had obviously happen between this girl and Jesse that had Lexa a little miffed if not jealous, and Brennan really didn't want an unnecessary fight breaking out. Especially not when they needed to stick together to get Annie back. Shalimar turned to face Jesse who was doing a great deal of containing himself, "Any idea who this girl was, why'd they be after her?"

"No." he replied reluctantly.

"Description? maybe she's in the new mutant data base." Brennan offered.

"Already tried that, there's nothing on her."

"I got some information back from my contacts." Lexa said handing them each a file. "According to the autopsy reports, some of Marco's gang had…"

"Bold numbers and a lightning bolt." Shalimar said her brown eyes lit up. "Just like those missing mutants. You think Annie's disappearance had something to do with this?" she asked. Brennan looked up from the reports in his hand towards the feral. Hoping that this was some how all connected, the look in Shalimar's eyes was way too hopeful and he didn't want this to be another dead end. They had have way too many of those. 

"It'd be nice to find out, which is why they have set you two up with these." Lexa said handing Jesse and Shalimar a set of keys. "What are these for?" Jesse asked recognizing them and immediately grinning. Lexa actually smiled. "In just a few nights you two will be returning to the world of underground street racing."

"Wait… wait." Brennan began to protest. "How come they get to go?"

"Because they've been there before, and are somewhat infamous." she said curiously.

"Yah see what yah get us into." Jesse said playfully hitting Shalimar's shoulder. 

"What?" she said innocently. 

"Did I miss something?" Brennan asked but this only caused the two mutants to laugh. 

~*~*~*~


	6. A Pictures worth

****

A/N: This chapter goes out to FalconWolf3 (I got it right this time yeah?) for making me see that no matter what anyone say's I shouldn't stop doing what I do best, my writing. 

To Laily I swear the next part of Changes is on it's way… as soon as I get what is missing from it!

To Lyza you just never know what happened in these things!

To ReganX yes, it was mean for Adam to take Shal's bike away, but he had to teach her a lesson somehow. And what better way then to take away what she likes the most, (aside from her bud).

CHAPTER 6:

****

SAME DAY, TIME, ACROSS TOWN…

"Some people actually think sleep is important." he said as he leaned onto the entrance of the brightly lit room. This was probably the only room in the whole building that had the roof access and she had to be the one to sleep in it. As cautious as she was he never understood why she slept where people could easily get in. Than again she had her own kind of protection. Being electrical and all did have it's advantages. Still he didn't like the idea of her sleeping in this room, no matter how much power she had. He winced as he watched her try and pull on the black v-neck shirt with a bit of a struggle, if one were to look closer you could see tiny very light surgical scars on the small of her back. They had faded through out the years but the memories were still there. Vince knew more than anyone what kind of memories those had been, and he wanted nothing but to make those go away. He walked up behind her and helped her tug the shirt downward. "Sleep is highly overrated." she said falling back on the bed glaring up at the ceiling. 

"Maybe… you shouldn't race…. Abby might…"

Gage turned over onto her stomach her brown eyes glaring up at him. A finger aimed right at him the tips which had already begun to throw off sparks, Vince backed off with his own hands up. "Hey, hey no fair using your powers on the unarmed."

"I'm doing this and there is nothing anyone can say or do to change my mind." A crash came from the floor below them. "That better not be anything contradicting."

~*~

Sanctuary

"Shal, all I'm saying is that maybe you and Jess should rethink this." Brennan's voice could be heard from down the hall. You could actually hear him further than that but that wasn't the point really. Jesse was at the top of the walkway looking down at the two with a smirk on his face. He knew Brennan wouldn't take to well to being left behind while the two most important people in his life were roaming the nights street racing becoming potential targets for some one who was picking off unsuspecting mutants. Jesse got up from his spot and quietly as possible made his way to his room, and sat in front of his computer terminal. He sifted threw his files until he pulled up pictures that were at least ten years old. What Brennan hadn't known or believed (up until this morning during a search) was that both him and Shal had raced every night for two and a half years. Shal had earned a rep for being the little speed demon and no one had dared messed with him, the two had had a few racer friends back then as well. 

He smiled looking at the first picture. A spunky energetic girl who's short dark hair that Jesse remembered had always been blue and purple, the contacts made her green eyes china blue her name was Lane, the guy that had an arm slung around her waist and stood a foot taller than her had been Lane's crazy ass boyfriend Lynx who purposely kept changing his look so that the cops could never identify him. In the picture Lynx's hair was set in a crew cut with bits of red here and there, contacts that made his natural gray eyes a shiny marble like purple. Beside Lynx was a petite woman who's blond hair was wild and loose, he smiled taking in the vision of a near 17 year old Shalimar dressed in what could only be described as black leather pants with rips on the side more than half way of her thighs, where Lane had worn an off the shoulder purple top, Shalimar had worn a black top that looked like it had been made of silver duck tape crisscrossing her front side. He remembered that night he nearly had a heart attack when she tried to dress him in matching leather pants, he drew the line at that not even bothering to ask where she had come up with such an idea let alone outfit. Jesse shook his head remembering the trouble they had gone through just so he could race…

"You could have saved me back there you know." her voice which had a slight playful tone to it was close enough to scare even the high stressed person out of there wits, this time Jesse had actually felt her walk into the room. They had been living together since they were in there early teens and had gotten use to her walking in on him. "I figured you could handle a guy like Brennan by yourself." he replied nonchalant. "Oh yeah…" she retorted messing his hair up so that it was now every which way but up. "Hey."

"Oh my god." the feral let out a laugh when she got good look at the screen. "I can't believe you still have those!"

"And give up my only way of black mail, no way"

"Yeah ok… God Lane Alicia, and Lynx Addison."

"You think that was his real name?" 

"How the hell should I know." She took a seat on the edge of the man's bed crossing her feet underneath her. Playing with the edge of the small pillow "So… you gonna tell me what's wrong or am I gonna have to weasel it out of yah." Jesse had moved the chair so now he was sitting directly in front of her. "Nothing's wrong."

"Yeah, and I'm not the tech person around here, come on Shal we've known each other since we were practically kids."

"I'm scared for her Jess, she's sixteen years old and she's out there somewhere alone and…"

"Hey, she's a tough a kid, and wherever she is I'm sure she's givin' whoever it is major hell."

This caused a smile on the feral's face as she remembered her little cousin's temper. "She's still just a kid." Jesse sat beside her pulling her into a warm embrace, planting a kiss into her hair. "Will get her back. I promise."

~*~

****

OUT SIDE OF TOWN~SOUTHERN BOULEVARD ROAD… 

The Ninja 600 was wheeled out onto the middle of the black top that stretched out for miles on end. It's rider wore black leather pants with blue flames racing up to mid thigh, black leather jacket zipped up tight, black ankle boots snapped shut. Legs swung over the side of the cycle straddling the sit, fingers flexing, waiting. Not a few minutes later a Black Honda 2ooo pulls up be side the rider. The rider in leather signals to the one in the car starting the beginning of the race. Both vehicles takes of in a speed of light literally, burning the top leaving trails of blue flames behind. Both riders match for match flying as if to catch the sun before it dips marking the day to evening. 

The side of the road blurred as their only goal began getting closer, as the end came near we see a third party dressed in a long dark coat, reaching into one of the deep pockets. The riders pass the line in the road, and come to a stop no more than ten feet away. 

The one on the ninja removes the black helmet revealing shoulder length blond, brown eyes. 

The Honda rider is still no seen, the third party walks up to both. "Well, where's my money?"

The third party reaches into his pocket and pulls out a tazer like weapon, the dark haired woman reacts on instinct kicking the weapon out of his hands and sweeping him off his feet so that he landed on his back, picking up the weapon she aims it at the man. "Big mistake."

We hear the cocking of another trigger, apparently the Honda rider is in on it as well. The barrel of a 45. Is pressed against the back of her neck where we can barely see the marking of bold numbers and the symbol of flames. "Your life for information, Kelly."

"What sort of information?" she asked not really intending to give anything over just yet.

He pulls out a picture of a dark haired woman with brown eyes. "She goes by the name Gage."

Kelly looks at the picture then back at the man with the gun…


	7. To bail or not to bail

**Hi yah people's!**

**Nope I haven't gotten me laptop back and it doesn't seem like I'm going to get it back anytime soon. Damn those slow as hell repair people. Anyways this chapter has been the longest I've ever written (I call seven pages long!). It's taken me a while to get it together only because I am neurotic when it comes to ideal characterization. That and I've been hopelessly stuck in the Once a Thief fandom…**

**My thanks to all those who've been reviewing it really does push a person to work harder when they know how others are receiving there work. A bigger thanks goes out to my bud FalconWolf3 who stuck with me through the late night conversations (and major brain storming!) on this one. Credit for the conversation involving Jesse goes out to her, (yes U Bren!) her understanding of Mr. Kilmartin has been surpassing mine as of late, hehe. Speaking of which what happened to JESSE?! (I need to know!!!!!)**

**Oh yeah, I seriously disregarded the third season plot twist in which the episode 'The Prophecy' spoke of. That was just ridicules it was just so full of**

**DARK ANGEL stuff that it wasn't even funny. (I shouldn't be talking) If you've seen it you guys know what I'm talking about, if not well sorry blushes. But getting back to my point in this time line the Prophecy about the child is out the window! Doesn't exist here. **

**One last thing I thought it would be nice to bring in another character from the show. So for the record the character Kelly Rice does not belong to me. There I said it. Ok enough from me go on and read the chapter, hope this reveals enough to get things rolling. If you guys have any questions or comments email me! Oh yeah and don't forget to review (Apparently it attracts me muse!!!!) **

**Latah**

**Gold**

'_What have I done?_' was the question that played over and over in the Kelly's mind as she watched the last ray of sunlight disappear in the darkness. She had made a promise to herself long ago that she would never be coned into doing anything that would harm others. Not after everything she had gone through with the man known as Gabriel Ashlock. Rubbing the back her neck at the tattooed symbol she knew that was a promise that had been broken once before.

After Gabriel's life was taken she amongst dozen's of other New Mutant's who had been taken under his wing had been lost. Many of the New Mutants whom Gabriel called his Links either tried to continue on with out him or just went their separate ways. She was one of few that had left the city of his demise in hopes of making it on her own. But Kelly had found herself feeling empty with out her leader, the man she had come to love.

It had been a few weeks after when she found herself crossing paths with another man. One she would also come to love and later fear. Adrian O'Dell had been grieving over some loss for a long while when he took her in. They shared a common goal to protect those who were like himself lost and with no one to turn to. This should have been her first hint at what was to come. For the first few week's things had gone smoothly, she had a new home and family but the things in the back of her mind kept telling her it was too much like before and it would end terribly.

A few months after she had been branded in with both numbers and a symbol of her abilities, Kelly had come across a silver suitcase while waiting for Adrian to return home from one of his many nightly walks. Breaking it open out of sheer curiosity she found a small computer disks marked off with different names. Some marked with red crosses. Deciding to let her curiosity push her over she had used Adrian's laptop and opened the disk. What she discovered was that Adrian had been hunting down certain mutants. She had remembered Adrian telling her about those who had been with him before, the ones he thought of as his own siblings. She had been told that they had been turned against him and left. There abrupt departure had hurt him deeply but he had understood their need to be on their own.

The next hour she spent sifting through the files marked red. Apparently whenever Adrian found one of these people they would be found dead the next day. A Connor O'Brien registered to the local city morgue would mysteriously have the bodies transported to his sector and preformed an unknown amount of blood test specifically on their New Mutant DNA. They were looking for something specific, the red disk had been the ones who failed some sort of testing procedure. What she found on one of the blue disc; a list of names by numbers, some had already been deleted. Going into the next folder she saw files on Gabriel Ashlock and Twin girls who went by the name of Brenda and Brianna Mulwray. They looked like Genome X files. What would Adrian be doing with those? Kelly had made a snap decision and made copies of the files.

She had been reaching for the last blue disc when a sound from the end of the hall caught her attention. Moving faster than she had ever thought she could Kelly had shut down the laptop, and placed everything back the way she had found it. The fallowing week it was said that three more people had disappeared and later found dead, there bodies would be discovered missing from city morgues. There was no question about where they had gone. Kelly knew and couldn't stand being with Adrian any longer. So after carefully planning her escape, she let Adrian and that part of her world go…

Unfortunately it didn't want to let her go. So she spent the better part of the last two years running for her life. Foolishly she had thought Adrian had forgotten about her, and put all thoughts aside about those missing mutants. But now she feared he had resurfaced.

Any money bet that this Gage was in more trouble than she was. If Gage was the person who's blood Adrian had been searching for. But what she didn't understand was what did the test do? Holding herself Kelly wish she had seen the last disk or at least taken it with her. The name Mulwray sounded familiar enough to her, but she was having a hard time trying to remember where she had heard it from aside from reading it off the files.

Tucking her blond hair into a messy bun she pulled on her helmet making a decision that would either make her a good person or a known cowards. Turning the key in the ignition to the right letting the gas rev up a bit Kelly Rice took off.

**Next after noon… **

What in the world had Abby been thinking bringing her back here to this place? It held nothing for her but a slight picture in her head of the blond man who had saved her life. Had gone completely solid in front of her and protected her without a second thought. Gage stood sitting on the hood of the borrowed Dark Blue Evolution, across the street from the entrance of the underground parking lot. Her sister had pulled a Houdini on her the other day after she had announced the race. That was two days ago today she had called and asked her to meet her here. Why she had requested her presence here was beyond her. Gage smiled as she pictured the man who saved her life. Jesse… she wondered what he was doing now, and if he was thinking about her as well.

Abby walked out from the shadows of the ten-story building behind her sister's car, donned in a black mini skirt and black denim jacket. "I'm sorry I'm late, but I had to get this… what?" she stopped at the indignant look on Gage's face.

"Where have you been?" Gage asked.

"Trying to score us a ride for tomorrow nights race your welcome."

"Not that I ain't grateful Abby, but it doesn't take more than a day to do that."

"And it doesn't take more than a day to tell me about Adrian now does it." Abby retorted standing in front of her sister her hands posed on her hips.

"That ain't entirely accurate."

"And yet you still wanna go through with the race knowing he could be scouting."

"We already talked about this Abby."

"Brianna…" dark brown eyes shot up to meet their identical other; she hadn't been referred to as Brianna since she was ten years old. "You remember what he was like."

"Yeah I do, I also remember that we can't make it with what we've got." Gage snapped back. "Fine you wanna play suicide fine." Abby reached into her pocket and handed over a set of keys similar to the ones that Lexa had given to Shalimar and Jesse. "A bike?"

"It was last minute so it was all they had."

"I would have been happy racing with the EVO."

"Yeah well, consider this a nice bonus besides I scoped out the terrain and your better off with the bike. I'm gonna head on home after the market, you need anything?"

"Yeah for you to stay out of trouble."

"Funny I remember it as me having to bail your ass out of trouble." Abby replied as she walked away back into the shade of the building. Gage smiles at this, the two of them had changed so much during the last eight years it almost scared her. For she knew how much trouble she had gotten them into when they were younger, after they had ran away Gage had been the one to suggest the odd jobs to earn money. Occasionally violating the law in order to do so. Sometimes she wondered what would have happened if they hadn't had there powers to bail them out of the tightest jams…

"You know if we keep running into each other like this, shouldn't I at least know your name?" Gage turned around on the hood of the car facing the front of the car, almost slipping off it all together, to see the man who had been on her mind just before Abby had showed up, he was leaning against a Silver Audi. "Nice ride."

"I could say the same thing." He retorted sweetly making his way over till he was standing directly in front of her, arms crossed on his chest. "So do I get a name this time or do I have to refer to you as the girl who can phase?" She smiled at his playful tone and replied in a similar manner. "Gage,"

"First or last?"

"The only name I go by so you could call it a first."

"That's unique."

"I'd like to think so."

"I'm Jesse."

"I know. We met remember?" His shy like smile made her insides feel fuzzy as he continued on. "So… What brings yah down here again, I mean this isn't exactly the worlds safest place."

"Sister seems to like this place, you?"

"A close friend lives in the next building over." He replied glancing back to where he indicated. The building in question seemed to be more than one over. Gage had the question in her head of why he would park further from the building that already had a garage, but let it sit for now. "As fun as this has been I've got to get back." She said sliding off the hood of the EVO, fishing the keys out of her jacket pocket. Jesse leaned on the leaned on the hood.

"Hey wait…"

"What?"

"How 'bout you join me for lunch? I know this great little pizzeria not too far from here."

"You're asking me out on a date?" she asked liking the effect he had on her.

"Maybe, if that's what you want to call it."

"And what would you call it?"

"Two friends having lunch."

"You don't even know me," she smirked as she felt her insides kind of go from fuzzy to knots, it had been such a long time since she had last felt like this.

"But I'd like to." He replied stepping closer to her. How could she say no with out sounding like a big brush off? "Ok," that wasn't saying no.

"Your ride or mine?" he asked. Gage looked back at the EVO thinking it over for a second before placing the key inside the rims. Walking back over to Jesse when he pointed a finger back at her car. "Are you sure that's safe?"

"Has been before." She replied as the two walked off to the Silver Audi never noticing the stranger who'd been watching them the entire time, the stranger pulled out a cell phone, pressed a few buttons and waited.

"Yeah… only its not the EVO… I'll know more tomorrow night… alright then." Hanging up the phone the stranger walked back into the shadows.

()

The wonderful smell of oven fresh pizza had urged her stomach into the warm seemingly friendly place, of course it did help to have the nice handsome blond man with her. The two mutants had managed enough of a conversation on the way that it looked as if they had been long time friends. She had learned that his line of work fell between helping people like themselves find a safe heaven from rough places, and working with his 'family'. She in turn told him about her own make shift family conveniently leaving out the details of how they had gotten together, and their illegal activities. Upon entering the cozy place they were directed to a small booth near the back by a lovely waitress who gave the two a smile commenting on young love, her smile growing wider when she saw the young man's ears turn a bit red. A half hour later the two had finished off a large pie and were now relaxing talking quietly. "Are you kidding me?"

"Ah come on you're gonna sit there and tell me you never done anything like that?"

"Well, not like that." Jesse replied.

"You never wa…" Gage lowered her voice a bit. "You're gonna sit there and tell me you never walked through the girls locker room wall?"

"Well…" at his silent admission Gage grinned. "I'll take that as a yes."

"Maybe once or twice, but I swear the first time was an accident."

"Right." She laughed somewhere between there gazing at one another the younger molecular had caught sight of a familiar presence just outside the pizzeria. "So what about you have you ever used your abilities fo…" His voice had faded from her hearing as for her sight it was set on the man just across the street. At first she thought she had imagined it, but he had been there for sometime. Loitering was the word that had just leaped out of her mind; he'd been standing in the same place for the past fifteen minutes or so. Gage placed a hand over Jesse's own, her gaze returning to meet his. "You know what… um… I'll be right back…"

"You feeling ok?"

"Yeah."

Jesse stood up as she slid out of the booth her shoulders brushing against his. He watched as she went around the corner towards the restrooms. Sliding back into the small booth he looked down at the hand she had touched. For a moment he had the ridicules thought that there had been some sort of electric tingle from her skin. Wondered if every touch from her would feel the same. The heat flushing his face quickly rid him of those thoughts as well as the voice coming from his comm.-ring.

_Hey lover boy where are yah?_ An obviously annoyed Lexa. _Is this thing working?_

_Yeah it's working, what's up? Yah find out anything on Annie?_

_No but close. We got another update about those missing mutants_

_Why do I get the feeling I'm not gonna like this_

_Because the ones that were found were messed with_

_Messed with how_

_Meaning someone is taking these marked mutants from these races, days later they're dead. Doesn't stop there, someone seems to be making off with the corpse of certain mutants_

_Grave robbing_

_Doesn't stop there, my contacts tell me that the bodies have been drained of there blood_

_That's just sick_

_Yeah well it's a sick world we live in._

()

Gage hadn't been so lucky, slipping out of the place there had been no back door near the rest rooms so her only way out was right through the walls of the bathroom. Making sure there had been no one else in the restroom with her, she nervously stood at the tiled wall. Placing a shaky hand on the cool surface she closed her eyes, feeling the wall shift underneath her skin. The tiles becoming less dense for a moment there was a stinging sensation as if the wall had slipped back together. That lasted for a moment before the molecules faded, Gage stepped forward through the soft mass feeling the blood in her body race as she walked right through the wall and into the alley of the Pizzeria. The wall behind her snapped back into its solid form, Gage yelped cradling her hand to her stomach. Lately making things less solid had become more difficult, it was starting to hurt more. Shaking off her pain the young mutant made her way to the opening of the street.

It hadn't been her imagination a few seconds ago the man across the street had been looming around Jesse's car. She was pretty sure it was impossible for the man to be even alive. Gage moved further up to the entrance for the street looking at the Silver Audi, the man was now gone. A sweep up the street gave her nothing, she had just decided that the guy must have took off or maybe she was just being paranoid when she was grabbed from behind and slammed against the brick wall. "Not a smart thing Mulwray."

"David." Gage gasped as the man in front of her tightened his grip on her throat. His dark brown eyes had shifted to a golden feral state. Shaggy brown hair fell around his olive toned face. There was a jagged scar just below his squared jaw. "What…"

"You thought you were so smart running from him didn't you?" David's voice was husky and almost threatening. "Left the rest of us high and dry, because of you we ain't safe anymore!" he snarled. Over her shocked state in haven't seeing this man in almost twelve years, Gage tried to take a breath but the grip on her throat tightened. "You can't go ghost if you can't breath." He leered at her. "He's been taking us out one by one, and it's all on you!"

"What…"

"It's all on you. So I'm gonna do us all a favor."

"What… that?"

"Take you out. It's better this way you know… what he does to you when he gets you…" The man actually shuddered a moment before he brought his hand back into a fist. From the sleeve of his ratty jacket came a silver knife. Gage flexed her fingers bits of electrical current jumped from them, grabbing his wrist she sent out a large dose of coils from her hand to his body. The larger man wriggled in pain, his hands lost their strength and Gage slumped to the ground coughing up for air. "Sorry, not gonna happen." She watched him flop on the floor like a fish out of water. This didn't look so good, "David?"

Gage lightly kicked the man in the ribs, but there was no movement from him. Taking a look around she yanked the sleeves of her jacket forward covering her hands, leaning down she grabbed him under his arms and managed to drag all a hundred and twenty pounds across the dingy ground. Gage hid him behind the dumpsters covering him with the cardboard pieces. She took a deep breath, she hadn't been close to the guy but they had once been friends. Giving him one last glance she made her way back to the wall.

()

Jesse got up from the booth and walked towards the counter reaching into his pocket he pulled out a few bills depositing them on the counter. Turning back to the seat he did a double take, his car. It was gone!

()

Jesse sighed as he fallowed the directions that Lexa had given him through Sanctuary's GPS system. He'd managed to ignore the woman when she berated him for trusting Gage so openly, but he knew that there had to have been some reason for her to have just left like she did. He found himself standing where he had first asked Gage to join him for lunch. Shaking his head he was about to curse himself stupid when he the afternoon light glint off something in the alleyway. Jesse walked into the alley finding the Silver Audi safely parked, there was something seemed to be protruding from the windshield. Reaching over carefully he tried to pluck the napkin from the window but it seemed to be stuck, as if someone hadn't phased it all the way. Looking around he leaned over the hood concealing what he was about to do from anyone's view and phased the napkin out. He smiled as he read the message.

_Jesse,_

_Sorry I bailed, promise next time I'll stay for dessert… who knows maybe more._

_Thanks for Lunch. _

_ Gage_

_PS_

_ Keys are where you left them!_

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